HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT

Commencement May 16, 2004

Honorary Degree: Doctor of
Science
Conferred on John E. Breen

Candidate presented by: Dr. Thomas H. Wenzel

Dr. John E. Breen is an acclaimed civil engineer and
educator who has influenced the principal design and construction standards
for concrete
bridges and buildings nationally and internationally. He is the Nasser
I. Al-Rashid Chair in Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at
Austin, where he has served as a member of the faculty since 1959. He
has been active in the development of new and innovative reinforced and
prestressed concrete bridge and building systems.

His research has garnered
recognition and awards from organizations such as the American Society of
Civil Engineers, the American Concrete Institute, the Prestressed Concrete
Institute, the American Segmental Bridge Institute, and the International
Federation for Prestressed Concrete. He received the 2003 Bridge Engineering
Research Award from the Bridge Engineering Association, which cited him for
his excellence in structural concrete research, column design, reinforcement
development, general structural integrity, segmental bridge design, corrosion
protection, and bridge aesthetics.

He is a member of a committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers
which sets the design loads for buildings, and is also a member and past
chair of the American Concrete Institute Building Code Committee for Structural
Concrete. This committee develops the design and construction rules for
all concrete buildings in the United States and in many foreign countries.
Dr.
Breen is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the nation's
highest honor for engineering professionals.

He was chosen by the University of Texas at Austin Graduate Engineering
Council to receive their Faculty Appreciation Award in 2003, an award which
recognizes
a faculty member who has fostered the well-being and professional development
of engineering graduate students. In receiving this award, Dr. Breen commented, "I
am aware of the extreme demands made on graduate students and want each
one that I come into contact with to know that I respect their opinion
and welcome
their visiting my office. The students keep me young."

He earned
his bachelors degree from Marquette University in 1953 and went on to
earn his master's and doctoral degrees from the University
of
Texas at Austin.

Because of his many contributions to civil engineering
and because of his remarkable skills as an educator of future engineers,
Reverend President,
I hereby recommend John E. Breen for the Marquette Degree of Doctor
of Science, honoris causa.